[dphc]

Yes it's leaking, so I had to bypass it (which also cleared up a mystery overheating problem that started even before I started smelling coolant).
I could probably take out the steering column if it were really necessary, but would rather not take the chance of messing something up (like an SRS component). I'm hoping there's someone here who can confirm whether or not it's necessary, and any helpful tips or cautions are also welcome.